Sir David Attenborough has unveiled a message at the Natural History Museum which states: “The future of the natural world, on which we all depend, is in our hands”.

The museum in South Kensington, London, said the words in bronze lettering on the east carriage ramp outside its main entrance were inspired by a speech Sir David gave at Cop24 but were not taken verbatim.

At the unveiling, the 97-year-old naturalist said: “Each of us must cherish the natural world that surrounds us, from wide open countryside to tiny patches of green in our cities.

“I hope the Urban Nature Project and the new gardens at the museum will take learning into the open air and inspire young people to continue to value, understand and support the natural world on their doorsteps and far beyond.”

Sir David spoke during the 24th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), commonly known as Cop, in Katowice, Poland, around five years ago.

In 2018, he called attention to the issue of climate change, saying: “If we don’t take action the collapse of our civilisations and the extinction of much of the natural world is on the horizon.”

Sir David added: “The people have spoken. Leaders of the world, you must lead.

“The continuation of our civilisations and the natural world upon which we depend, is in your hands.”

The unveiling of the words in bronze forms part of the museum’s project to transform its gardens into a hub for urban nature and bio-diversity.

An existing wildlife garden will be extended to double the area of native habitats within the grounds, with the aim of better supporting, monitoring and managing the animal and plant life diversity.

New outdoor spaces include a life-sized bronze Diplodocus immersed in a Jurassic-like landscape, among other exhibitions that depict the story of complex life evolving on earth from 540 million years ago to the present day.

The gardens will also be home to scientific sensors that gather environmental DNA and acoustic data, to monitor nature and enhance its protection.

Dr Douglas Gurr, director of the Natural History Museum, said: “We were honoured to welcome Sir David Attenborough to the museum to unveil his powerful and inspiring words which will overlook our new gardens.

“Knowing that the UK is one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world, it’s more important than ever to protect the wildlife in our urban spaces.

“Through the urban nature project, the museum is encouraging visitors and young people to explore natural history in a new way, giving them the tools to look to the future and safeguard nature in towns and cities.”

Sir David, known for voicing BBC nature documentaries, such as Blue Planet and Planet Earth, has previously worked with the museum.

He brought to life objects from the museum’s exhibits during 2014’s Sky One documentary David Attenborough’s Natural History Museum Alive using CGI technology.

The museum then launched a virtual reality guide with Sir David in which he was digitally recreated and the public could look at rare and priceless objects in its collection.

This year, the documentary Saving Our Wild Isles arrived on BBC iPlayer, with Sir David narrating the stories of people trying to combat environmental issues in the UK.

The new gardens at the Natural History Museum are due to open in spring 2024.